There For You
by krostovikraven1
Summary: Sequel to "Beast Boy's Living Past". After the strange events of Beast Boy and Raven's wedding, Red x decides to look for clues as to their mysterious visitors and our favorite heroes will discover the real meaning of love and friendship that surpasses time.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, so this is the promised sequel to Beast Boy's living past, i know it took me a while but technical difficulties ocurred. Anyway, this is set up in the future for the first couple of chapters then back to the present. It might turn confusing at times and certain events we already went through in the other story might be affected. I would suggest for those who are not familiar with what's going to happen here, read "Beast boy's Living Past" first in order to make sense of this one... Just... let me know what you think. **

* * *

><p><strong>There for you.<strong>

**Chapter 1.**

May 3, 2029, 11:03pm

Garfield sat in front of the main computer in the common room of Titans Tower, stroking the keys absentmindedly, looking for… he wasn't exactly sure but a faint memory had triggered his curiosity. After a moment, he had both hands clasp under his chin while resting his elbows on the desk and drumming his fingers almost impatiently, as if waiting for an answer that wasn't coming fast enough.

There was total silence, until…

"… I told you Vik, we'll make it right… I promise" said a young man as he walked in the common room, too distracted to notice they were not alone. Garfield had suddenly sensed their presence and that only meant one thing, they had just come out of a portal.

The young man in question was his son, Mark, named after his father. Although Raven and Garfield had agreed on not using Garfield's first name, they did agree on using his middle name. Not only because it was a better choice (since Trigon's name was definitely out of the question), but because Garfield wanted to honor his own father in some kind of way and what better way than to pass on his name.

Mark had inherited most of his father's traits. His skin was a pale green. His hair was green with purple highlights spread along the edges of his hairline and he could transform into any animal, just like his father but when he was really upset, his eyes would glow red and a second set would appear, just like his mother and his sister Mariella.

Mariella, his daughter, was more like Raven herself. Quiet and intellectual. Her powers were like her mother's but, being a quarter demon, made her life a whole lot easier to enjoy as her powers were not as dangerous but still a certain degree of control had to be learnt in order to keep them in check.

Her name was picked as a combination of the names of both her grandmothers, Marie and Arella and just as her brother, her hair was green with hints of purple along the hairline. Her eyes were green, her skin, a pale complexion and she too could transform into any animal with enough concentration and only when necessary but avoided the task all together

Mark and Mariella were twins and at fifteen, they were already part of the Titans new generation and together, along with Victoria, the late Red X's daughter, were inseparable and unstoppable.

"You'll make what right, Mark?" Garfield asked, as he turned around on the chair he was sitting, startling the new comers. The young man in question was the most surprised and quickly removed the arm that he had draped on the girl's shoulders in comfort and both stopped in their tracks. This didn't go unnoticed.

"D-dad, what are you doing up this late?" The young man asked while rubbing the back of his head with a nervous little laugh, another of his father's traits.

"I could ask you the same question. Where have you two been?" Garfield could sense his anxiety and made him all the more curious, until someone else entered the common room.

"By the way Mark… Oh, hello father, I'm sorry for the late arrival but we got caught up in a reconnaissance mission" said the young woman calmly as she walked towards the small group.

"I wasn't aware there was an ongoing mission of that nature" asked Garfield trying to decide if whether his daughter was too calm because she was telling the truth or she was trying to distract him from her brother's behavior. It's not that it was in Mariella's nature to lie but Garfield knew that brother and sister always protected each other, whether from villains or their parent's punishments.

"Vicky's grandfather assigned it and you know how fond he is of secrecy"

"I see" Garfield then noticed Victoria with a sad and distracted expression. She had not said a word since their arrival.

"Vicky? Are you alright?" but there was no immediate response until Mark gently elbowed her to get her attention.

"…oh, sorry uncle Gar. Yes I'm fine, I was just… daydreaming, that's all. Is uncle Richard back from his mission yet? Or aunt Raven?"

But to both questions, Garfield only shook his head. "But I expect them to come back no later than tomorrow morning, is there something I can help you with?"

"Not particularly. I'll just turn in for the night if you don't mind, I'm exhausted." And without another word, Vicky, left. Garfield watched her leave, even after she went thru the doors he could sense the girl's sadness, and that only meant one thing, she was dwelling on her father's death. They had been really close and for that reason, Garfield knew that Victoria would never rest until she found the culprits.

Victoria had been too young when her father was executed in front of her eyes in a video call. Garfield could still hear Vicky's blood chilling scream during her nightmares every now and then as he too tried to cope with the loss. Michael had become a teammate, a Titan, a friend. One that would give his life for just like with the rest of his friends, but good intensions had not been enough and he had been unable to save him and deep down he knew that Vicky blamed him for it, even though the girl had never breathed a word.

"Dad?" Mariella called quietly while holding her father's hands while her brother wrapped his arms around his father's shoulders.

"Dad, it wasn't your fault. Quit feeling guilty."

"I should talk to her… but what would I tell her?... man, I wish your mother was here, she always knows how to sooth Vicky's worries"

"As well as yours, when is she coming back anyway. She's been gone almost a week with aunt Kori to visit Tamaran, don't you think?" Mark said as he wrapped an arm around his father's shoulders and gently led him towards the door.

"I know, but Star needed to go, her Knorfka was very ill and your mother went along to offer her support, I couldn't say no to that" Garfield said with a sigh and noticed his son was leading him out of the common room but said nothing. Instead, he decided to go along and try to find out why Mark was trying to distract him and from what.

"True, but you know what you can do? You can call her. The computer in your room has the same capacity to reach out of space networks as well as your communicator. Why don't you… go to your room, establish a connection and give her the surprise?" said the boy with the enthusiasm of a marketing professional.

Garfield smiled at first then narrowed his eyes in a playful manner. "Mark, I know how to call your mother, we spoke yesterday, remember?"

"It doesn't mean she wont be happy to speak to you again sooner rather than later" said Mark and displayed a confident ear to ear smile that reminded Garfield of himself in his younger years.

At this point they had reached his parents room. Mark entered the code which made him smile every time because, for as long as he remembered, the code had been the same from the time this room was only his mother's. He typed the word "green" and the door slid open.

The inside was one of Mark's favorite places in the Tower as well as his sister's. The curtains were still black, but it was no longer a sign of depression but simply to give the couple privacy. Some of the many artifacts and books Raven had collected over the years were still on display on a wall to the left where a closet had been rebuilt and customized in order to store the rest of the more dangerous and rarest objects, like the talking book Mark once discovered as a child by mistake when he was playing hide and seek with Mariella and Vicky.

The bed in the far back was a bigger version of the original Raven used to have but instead of a canopy hanging above it, it had a black marble headboard that gave the impression of looking at the far away stars.

The wall on the right side however, contained a mixture of Garfield's decoration and mutual memories. Family pictures as they call it, contained a series of memories captured by a camera. Happy memories of their extended family with the Titans, with the kids and friends as well as pictures dated after the tragedy.

There was also a desk and a small version of the advanced computer in the common room at the end of the wall, closer to the door. As Mark sat down, ready to type the command, his eyes lingered to the one picture that always intrigued him.

It was a picture of his mother's twenty eighth birthday, just about a year before Michael's death.. Garfield had pulled her into a kiss right before the picture was taken, but it also caught a glimpse of Michael's fingers intertwined with Raven's while he watched the couple kissing.

Garfield had noticed this and let out a small sigh after a moment.

"Did it ever bother you that he was in love with mom?" Mark asked quietly and Garfield sighed once more before answering.

"More than you can ever imagine"

"Then why allow it?"

"I have no saying on anyone's heart other than my own. At some point, I realized that if I kept fighting it, I would push your mother away. Instead, I decided to accept the fact that someone else had feelings for her and I could only be thankful and grateful that regardless of that she still chose me"

Mark thought for a moment and remembered the way Michael had longingly looked after his mother at the reception and that only served to confirm what he had seen over the years when he was little.

"Why ask me that now? I mean, its been over five years since your uncle Michael died, why does it bother you now?"

"I just… realized today. I mean, Mariella and Vicky knew, I just didn't see it and now everything makes sense" Mark said almost absentmindedly while still looking at the picture but his tone made his father curious.

"What happened today, Mark? Why was Vicky so upset?"

Mark winced at his choice of words. "Nothing. She just… saw something that reminded her of her dad and you know how she gets" the boy said with a nervous smile while he rubbed the back of his head.

"Why don't I call mom and let you talk to her. I'm sure you guys have loads to talk about since last time, besides, I want to see how's Vicky doing" Mark said as he swivel on the chair and typed the commands on the computer and waited for a connection to the far away planet where his mother was.

"You mean since yesterday?" asked Garfield but his son only chuckled.

Garfield watched him for a moment and had to admit that at fifteen, Mark was in many ways, more mature than he ever was at that age. More responsible and very protective of his mother, sister and best friend ,that, now he realized, it could be more than that, so, with a sly grin and a casual tone, he asked "So… you and Vicky, huh?"

Mark's ears visibly twitched but before he had a chance to say something, the screen in front of him came to life as Raven's face appeared.

"Mark?, Honey? Is everything ok?" Raven asked with some concern.

"Everything's great, mom. Dad and I were just talking about how much we all miss you"

"I miss you too. How's everything going? Is your uncle Victor back yet?"

"Yes babe, he came back this morning" answered Garfield when Mark didn't know what to say.

"Hey Gar, I hear you miss me already" she said with a tiny smile. Mark got up from the chair and motioned for his father to sit instead. As he sat, he winked at her with a smile.

"I always miss you babe, anytime you're not in my arms where I can hold you and kiss you and do those things that you…"

"Ooook, I'll leave you two love birds to your cooing and I'll go see if the girls need something"

And with that, Mark left and quickly closed the door behind him. Garfield and Raven chuckled for a moment before Raven regained her composure.

"Ok Gar, what's going on?"

"I'm not so sure Rae, but something happened that had Vicky very upset"

"Upset? How upset?"

"Just distracted and quiet. Rae, I think they're up to something"

"I think you're right Gar. There is something I never told you or anyone in the team but, I think is happening now"

"What is?"

Raven was hesitant for a moment as if not knowing how to start and that made Garfield all the more concerned but before he pressed her on an answer, she continued.

"Remember our wedding reception?"

"How can I forget, even after saying "I do" Michael wouldn't leave you alone" he said with a playful frown but Raven only rolled her eyes and said with a more stern tone "Focus Gar, think harder"

"Ok, ok…um, I remember that girl that came and hug Michael while he was dancing with you. Is that it?"

"Yes. Do you remember her?"

"I saw her from far away. I never got to see her face. Why? Who was she?"

"That… was Vicky"

"Vicky? But that's impossible. That happened over fifteen years ago. You can't possibly suggest…"

"I'm not suggesting. I am absolutely sure that Vicky time traveled"

"Rae… this is huge… wait, Does that mean she just came back from our wedding reception? So you knew what was going to happen to Michael?"

"No, I never knew what or when. She didn't say much but said enough to make me get to that conclusion"

"What did she say?"

"She told him he was more handsome than what she remembered. Gar, that could only mean she lost him when she was much younger"

Garfield was silent for interminable moments, trying to assimilate what he just learnt and as difficult as it could be to understand, the implications were much clear by the minute. Then, everything around him made sense and instinctively, looked up at the pictures hanging on the wall.

"Rae, why didn't you say something? We could have…"

"Could have what? Save him? How? I never knew what, where or how it would happen"

"I know babe, I'm sorry, it's just…"

"There is something else Gar, our kids were there as well"

Garfield gasped "You mean… the girl you saw before and the kid that took Vicky away from Michael are…"

"I'm afraid so but I wasn't sure back then because I was not familiar with their mental signatures. It was too early to tell, I wasn't that far along and they were wearing holorings to disguise themselves but I was sure about Vicky"

"But they never went back, right? I mean, I don't remember another weird incident like that…"

But Garfield's thought was interrupted when at the corner of the screen, there was a blinking, urgent message that he opened immediately.

"Gar, what is it?"

"There is a security breach in the system. Someone is hacking into our mainframe." He said as he typed furiously on the keyboard and tried to find the culprit. Cyborg was out of the Tower and even though he would get the same message on his built in computer, he wouldn't get there on time.

"Can you see who is it or what information are they looking for?"

Garfield frowned as he read the screen and found the file "Rae, this isn't good. Whoever it is has hacked into one of Nightwing's files … Michael's"

…

…

Meanwhile, Mariella was left alone in the common room. A quick scan of her surroundings to make sure she was alone before she headed to the main computer. Once there, she said "You can come out now Vik, Mark is taking care of our dad"

Vicky walked out of the closet where she had been hiding as a moth, once in her human form, looked from one side to the other before heading towards her friend.

"He was just trying to help, you know. Like he always does but you always make him feel guilty. It wasn't my dad's fault that your dad died or my mom's. My dad never held a vendetta just because…"

"I know that Mariella. And I don't blame him. I just wish… things could have been different. Were you able to find something?" Vicky asked as she sat next to the younger empath.

"Old footage from the security cameras right around the time you were born… and this?" Mariella and Vicky watched the short video with great curiosity when suddenly, Mark walked thru the sliding doors.

"What kind of empath are you Mariella? You could have given us some kind of warning about dad being…"

"Shush!" said both girls without looking away from the computer. The young man frown but then his eyes drifted to the screen.

"Whoa" he said just above a whisper.

And there, at full motion and muted sound, was the image of Raven and Michael the day she had given him a kiss in gratitude for his honorable gesture of not taking advantage of her, but of course, with the lack of sound, the gesture seemed that of two lovers.

"Dad never told me about that" Vicky said once the feed on the screen faded and another one was being loaded.

"That's not all. I found this as well but I'm not entirely sure who is she" Mariella said quietly as she stroke the keys on the keyboard in search for a particular image. Seconds later, the image of a small girl in Michael's arms, appeared, leaning over the incubator with a smile. The resemblance was impossible to miss.

"Vik, she looks just like you when you were little." Mark whispered without taking his eyes off the frozen image in front of them.

"Perhaps is me and I just don't remember?" Vicky said as she tried to recollect the memory.

"That's not you Vicky" said Mariella as she typed the commands to let run the video.

"How can you be so sure?" Vicky asked with a frown.

"Because this was taken roughly three or four days after you were born and that girl seems to be about two, maybe three years old"

"So, if Vicky is the one in the incubator, then, who is she?" Mark asked as he nodded towards the screen.

Suddenly, the screen went black for a moment before a map and a network lay out appeared in the screen. Mark and Vicky were about to ask the young empath what was going on when the doors burst open and Cyborg was charging in, cannon ready.

"Alright ya'll, what's going on here? Who's the infiltrator?" Cyborg's booming voice filled the silence before he noticed the startled faces in front of him. He turned his cannon back into his left hand as he approached them.

"Sorry kids, I got an alert signal that we were being hacked"

"We saw it uncle Victor and we were trying to trace it but the signal is being diverted to dead ends" Mariella said more composed.

"I see. Were they able to get to any sensitive information?"

"Not sure. I was trying to get a lock on the signal before it faded"

"Well, is late. Why are you guys still up?"

"We… just came back from a mission" said Mark, finally remembering he could talk.

"Well, how about you guys go to sleep and I'll try to find any tampered files"

The three young people nodded their agreement and left the Cybernetic man to his task unbeknownst to him that he would find nothing because the signal that was used to hack into the Titan's mainframe was created by a mastermind.

…

…

"That was close Mar, where did you learn that?" Mark asked once they got to her room.

"I have actually been able to learn a thing or two from Vicky's grandfather" she said with the ghost of a smile.

"Don't let your parents or our uncles find out, they'll have a heart attack" said Vicky almost absentmindedly. The image still vivid in her mind. "Was that all the footage you were able to retrieve?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Each file is encrypted differently and it would take a lot longer to break. They seem to be grouped by dates. They must hold some kind of significance because…"

But Mariella stopped midsentence right before someone knocked on the door.

"Hey guys, everything ok?" asked Garfield with a smile.

"Yeah dad, we were just discussing the last mission" said Mark and the girls just nodded.

"I see. Anything I can help with? Do you have any leads?

"We do, several of them. Are you done talking to mom so quickly? I thought you guys had lots to talk about" asked Mark not too subtly and that gained him a couple of cautionary glares from the girls.

"We did and I'm afraid we came to several conclusions we didn't expect. She's coming back tomorrow morning and wants to talk to all of you in person so don't make any plans."

He walked towards Mariella and gave her a kiss on her forehead, a pat on Mark's shoulder and a kiss on Vicky's forehead as well, followed by a short hug. "You had a long day. You should rest. You'll feel better tomorrow, I promise"

And with that, Garfield left the room leaving the three of them with curious looks at each other.

"Do you think he knows what we did? Do you think he remembers?" asked Mark in a whisper to no one in particular.

"We weren't close to him at all. There's no way he can remember anything" Vicky whispered back.

"But he did talk to mom. It's possible something in her memory stirred and she told him" answered Mariella in a hushed tone of her own.

"But we had the holorings, there's no way she would recognize us" said Mark.

"Holorings only mask appearance not mental signatures. You and I weren't born yet but Vicky was. It's possible she put two and two together and figured it out"

"It doesn't matter. We can't stop now. Not after what we found out and not before we find the right file. We've been planning this for too long to back down now. Not now that we have finally found a way to go back to stop him from…" But tears welled up and the lump on her throat didn't let her finish her thought. The memories were too fresh and the feelings too raw to ignore. Especially now that after so many years, she had had the chance to hug her father again if only briefly, without him even knowing who she was.

Mark placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and Vicky closed her eyes for a moment while taking a deep breath to calm down. After a moment she opened her eyes again and assured them she was ok and without another word, she left and headed to her own room, leaving her friends to wonder if she really was ok as she claimed.

The next morning, Vicky woke up to a familiar feeling of peace that made her smile before even opening her eyes.

"Good morning aunt Raven"

"Good morning Vicky. I'm sorry if I woke you up too early. I just came back and I wanted to make sure you're ok."

Raven was sitting next to the Vicky while the girl rubbed the sleep off her eyes. So many times Raven had spent the night with her like this, trying to calm her nerves and make her nightmares disappear after Michael died that after a while, Vicky couldn't sleep without Raven close by.

Robin, who had changed his hero name to Nightwing sometime before Michael died, had attempted to sooth her but his mere presence and the sound of his voice had been the last straw when the memories and reminders were too much for a ten year old to bear and her only reaction had been to run away and practically disappeared from the face of the earth for a while. Every one of the Titans set out to find her coming back empty handed. Even the Doom Patrol and Batman were enlisted to help but to no avail and for a while there was no sight of little Victoria until almost a year ago when she appeared at their doorstep out of the blue.

Now older, more mature for her short years and more defined, she resembled her mother greatly, and even though she was received warmly, she still kept her distance from Nightwing whom she only knew was her only relative and her father's twin brother.

But no matter how many times she was asked, she never revealed her whereabouts of the last four years she was gone. Only with Raven she would feel comfortable enough to talk about her past if only for a brief moment.

"I'm fine aunt Raven. How was the trip? Is aunt Starfire's knorfka feeling better?"

"He is. Tamareneans are more resilient than you think. Maybe you can come with us next time we visit Tamaran. It's a whole new world full of wonders" Raven said with a smile.

"I'd love that. I'll just need to pack enough earth food to sustain me. I'm not really fond of their food…" Vicky said and suddenly stopped as if she had said something she shouldn't have. "Please don't tell aunt Star I said that" she said as she sat on the bed but Raven only chuckled.

"Don't worry, none of us are. Not even Richard as much as he tries so as not to hurt her feelings"

"Daddy used to do the same thing. He would smile at her and make her giggle until she forgot about the food and then he would toss it in the incinerator when she wasn't looking. He said it wasn't safe to just leave it in the garbage bag"

"So Star wouldn't see it?"

"That and because he said something might crawl out if left unattended for long"

Both of them chuckled at that.

"Yes, your dad had a way to distract her. Specially when she was sad or upset, he was always there for her"

"But I recall him being more fond of you, aunt Raven. He would always smile when you walked in the room and sometimes I think he never noticed… or you"

"I'm married Vicky, his intensions, no matter how noble, were not welcomed and he knew that" said Raven in a more sober tone.

"I know. i just wish it had been different. He never wasted an opportunity to hug you or call you beautiful, even in front of uncle Gar"

"You noticed that when you were that young?"

"Well, yes. It wasn't hard to miss. Remember when he thought I was a cat and couldn't transform back? When you told him where I was, he went straight for you and hugged you and if I'm not mistaken, almost kissed you in front of everybody"

Raven smiled fondly at the memory. "That's because you had worried him to pieces for almost twenty four hours"

"But that didn't stop him from going for you before me" Vicky said with a smile.

"Were you mad about that?"

"Of course not, I was more worried that he would be too upset with me that he didn't want to see me anymore, but that only lasted until he stopped hugging you. He was never mad. After that I just tried to be better with him"

"And you were and still are. He loved you greatly and he would be so proud of you now" said Raven as he embraced the girl in a brief hug.

"What happened to him was not fair, aunt Raven. Why? Why did they have to rip him away from me?. He wasn't a bad guy, not even a villain. Why did they have to target him?."

"Everything we do has consequences, Vicky, and even though he had abandoned his old ways, his past hunted him"

There was no reply from the young girl but a thoughtful expression replaced her pout. There was so much she didn't know about her father. Things The Titans kept under locked lip that no matter how much questioning she did, there was no budging an answer from any of them. Vicky had not been sure if going back in time would give her the answers she was looking for but now that her aunt confirmed it, there was no doubt in her mind and with new resolution, Vicky got up and headed to her closet and started to look for something deep inside.

Raven was curious as to the change in the girl's mood " Vicky? What are you doing? What's going on?"

"I wasn't sure before of what to do or how to handle his loss, even after all this time but now I know aunt Raven, and its only a matter of… time"


	2. Chapter 2

**There for you. Chapter 2.**

_Present_

Michael sat in front of the main computer absently looking at the video surveillance from the wedding day. Almost a week had passed since the beautiful demoness had exchanged bows with the changeling. It was still hard to believe those two were married now and with a kid on the way. Sure he was already a father before any of them but he lacked the companionship of the mother of his child. Sure they had not known each other for long but they had their fun and he didn't doubt they would have come to better terms had things been different.

But circumstances had been much more overwhelming and after months of unthinkable ordeals, he was left craving for a woman that would never be his and with a child barely able to sit yet on her own in his charge. He didn't mind the last one bit. He loved Vicky in a way he never knew possible and had been and always be willing to protect her no matter what, against whoever posed a threat.

Michael took a deep breath and placed a hand under his chin and leaned on it while tiredly looking through still pictures in front of him. He had promised Raven he'll have an answer when she came back, not only to quell her concerns but his own.

However, the image of the girl that hugged him at the reception danced in his head. There was something so endearing and familiar and strange all at the same time. He wasn't entirely disturbed by that fact more than the fact that he felt something at that very moment. Some kind of connection he had never experienced and yet, it also felt familiar. For a moment he thought that perhaps was a borrowed memory from Richard. A feeling that was embedded in his mind out of consequence and not experience but he quickly dismissed it the moment Richard confirmed he had never met the girl before.

But there was also the detail of the girl's eyes. They had been a peculiar shade of blue. Unlike his own, an almost crystal blue, her eyes were a rich, creamy shade. Hard to ignore, let alone forget. They almost reminded him of…

A sudden movement caught his eye and he pried his attention away from the screen immediately. Vicky was laying on a small basinet next to him. She stirred and was rubbing her eyes before she opened them fully to look directly at her father. For a split second neither one moved or looked away. The baby looked just as mesmerized as her father was before a smile etched slowly on his features and soften his expression and Vicky smiled at him in such natural, unbridled and innocent manner that warmed his heart even more and he wondered how was that even possible.

He reached for the bottle he had prepared a few minutes earlier, anticipating her awakening and gave it to his baby. Vicky reached for it and fed from the bottle contently. An errand thought crossed his mind a second time since the reception while he looked down at his daughter which made him frown slightly only but a moment before softening his features again and run his fingers across the baby's forehead to remove an errand strand away, but this time, he didn't dismiss the idea completely, instead he put it away for further analysis later on, in the meantime, he would enjoy the sight of his daughter falling back sleep.

…

A few hours had passed and the rest of the team had come back from a mission. Starfire was playing with Vicky on the sofa while Cyborg and Robin played video games to pass the time. Michael still remained at the console. He had finally found the surveillance videos he was looking for but there were certain abnormalities that he could not explain. Robin had been next to him the moment he found them and after repeated replays, he couldn't explain it either.

Michael was able to find the camera on the hallway that pointed at Raven's door. She saw the bride's maid walk in, although he couldn't see her face, but he never saw her come out. After closer inspection and with Cyborg's help, it was revealed that the girl had actually come out, only to disappear in a dark portal just outside the door but the angle of the camera had made it difficult to discern. They had all been silent asking themselves the same question, " how was that possible?".

Many scenarios crossed their minds but only two outcomes were plausible, either Raven had sent the poor girl to another dimension, or at least another location being her powers a bit out of control due to her pregnancy and she had not even noticed or, there was someone else out there with the same kind of powers as their friend and that was of great concern. Raven they trusted because they knew that no matter how powerful and how dangerous she could be, she would never act on her demonic urges, but the fact that there could be someone else with just as much power, unsettled them to no end.

And then there was the video of the reception. Michael's and Raven's position had been a bit too far from the camera's angle but they had been able to piece other shots together and what they saw also astonished them. One moment the two had been dancing and smiling and the next, the mysterious girl had appeared out of nowhere right behind Michael before she interrupted them and then when the other young man came for her. They tried to trace back where had he come from but again, they came empty handed just like when they walked away in a hurry, after passing by a few of the other guest, the kids had simply vanished.

Vicky's giggles got him back out of his reverie, Starfire was flying around the room with the baby and she seemed to enjoy it. Michael sighed heavily and simply stared at the two. Starfire was also another wonder. She was so powerful and unnaturally strong and yet so gentle and kind. She had become so fond of Vicky and vice versa that it was rare to see them apart nowadays.

"C'mon Mike, give it a rest. You found what you were looking for, take a break" said Cyborg from the sofa.

"I can't, I promised her answers"

"You promised her to look into it and have information by the time she came back and you did but as much as we have gone through every single video we can't find anything else. Let's wait until they come back and maybe she can remember something else and shed some light into it"

"Cyborg is right, you should focus on the speech you're gonna have to give at the press conference next week" said Robin walking towards the former thief but was met with an arched eyebrow. "Don't tell me you forgot, I told you about it only a couple of days ago"

"I didn't forget kid, I just don't understand why do I have to say a speech or why do I even have to be in that press conference" Michael said as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on the chair.

Robin sighed almost impatiently before he answered. " I told you, you're part of the team now and eventually you will be taking Raven's place until she's ready to fight again. Her pregnancy will start showing before we know it but even before then, we have to keep her out of harm's way, for her sake and her baby's. I thought you of all people would understand that" he said with a slight smirk.

"I understand that part just fine, _Richard_…" the mention of his real name made Robin's almost smile completely disappear much to Michael's pleasure. He knew what buttons to press still even if they were under friendly terms. "What I don't understand is how do you expect me to just sit still when up until sometime ago the entire JCPD was after my trail and now it will be as if you're handing me to them on a silver platter"

"Precisely for that fact is that we need to make the public aware of your… reformed disposition now before they find out about Raven's condition. C'mon Michael, we talked about this" Robin said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, you talked about it, I just pretended I was listening"

"Look, don't do it for me or even the public, do it for Raven, she's…"

"Let me stop you right there Richard" Michael said as he got up and with a cold glare and a deep frown he stood right in front of Robin who didn't flinch at the action but instead, raised his chin slightly in sight of defiance.

"If you think you're going to be able to use Raven as a playing card to get me to do what you want me to, you're sadly mistaken" said Michael through gritted teeth.

Robin frowned at this "Michael, I never…"

"Or that you would even consider using Star or even Vicky as excuses"

"Wait, I didn't…"

"Oh please, do you forget so easy that I _know_ how you think? Well, I don't have that luxury because that's all I can think about" Michael said with so much remorse and venom for the first time that perplexed everyone around them leaving behind an awkward silence until the main computer announced an incoming call. Cyborg was the first one to break the silence.

"Finally. Blessed the unexpected interruptions" the metal man said as he walked to the console and typed a few commands before a new screen came to occupy the entire screen.

"Hey stranger, how is the married life treating you?" said Cyborg with a big smile.

"I'll let you know when I get used to the idea. How is everyone?" said Raven with a smile of her own.

Everyone else gathered in front of the screen but even through the monitor, Raven could tell there was tension among her friends. No surprise there considering Robin and Michael had been in close proximity for quite some time now.

"What's going on?" she asked when the others only looked at each other instead of giving her an answer but before anyone could say something, Michael stepped closer to view.

"Nothing you should concern about, beautiful, just Richard being his _charming_ self" Michael said with a playful smile gaining an almost growl from their leader. "You look more ravishing than ever, I can tell the vacation is going well" he said with a wink and another playful smile.

"Its my honeymoon, Michael and yes, its going quite well, thank you"

"And yet you couldn't wait to be alone and call me, I'm touched" Michael teased again.

"Think again you thief. Raven will never be alone ever again, especially with you" said Garfield and his face appeared over Raven's shoulder and he seemed to not be wearing a shirt.

"Like I'm going to need your permission to…"

"ENOUGH! I didn't call only for you two to have a battle of machos. Stop arguing like an old couple and let's get to the issues at hand, have I made myself clear?" said Raven and in her outburst, her eyes started to glow red and something was floating behind them. Garfield looked over his shoulder and then around them with raised eyebrows.

"Babe, um… you might want to… you know, calm down a bit" he said without looking at her but the rest of the team could see the worry on his face.

"I. am. Calm." She said but the moment she noticed their surroundings, a small gasp escaped her lips and quickly closed her eyes and quietly chanted her mantra. The relief on the changeling's face was visible and everyone let out a breath they had been holding since the beginning of their argument.

"I'm sorry. Hormones are plying cartwheels with my mood and my powers get out f control a lot easier" said Raven apologetically but soon her stoic expression returned. "But I wasn't joking about the issues we have to address. Robin, have you set a date for the press conference?"

"Yes, a couple of days after you return that way you get a chance to rest" Robin said proudly and Raven nodded.

"Michael, were you able to find anything on the surveillance cameras?"

"Yes and no. there are certain shots that cant be discern because of the camera angles but so far nothing certain."

Raven let out a sigh "Very well. Please keep looking, there has to be something that explains their behavior"

"I'll do everything I can, beautiful."

"Thank you. I have to go, I have to help Gar fix the mess I made earlier. We'll see you guys in a few days. Raven out."

There was silence for a few moments before Cyborg broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell her about what you found? She needs to know too"

"I know she does but right now I want her to rest and enjoy herself. I don't want her to worry about something she cant do nothing about, especially from that far away"

Satisfied with the answer, Cyborg walked away and went back to his game, Starfire cradled Vicky and headed towards the kitchen but Robin remained behind the former thief with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What is it Richard?" Michael said almost bored without turning around.

"I resent what you said earlier. I would never use any of them as an excuse and for the record, I do care about them, all of them and I would do anything for any of them at any time, even you. If we're going to make this work, we have to put our differences aside"

"And I agree but it doesn't mean I will agree on everything that you say" Michael said as he finally turned around and as soon as Robin nodded his answer, Michael walked away towards the kitchen.

…

It was past midnight and Raven and Garfield were in their hotel room moving around silently as they picked up clothes and other trinkets that had been misplaced due to her power's flare up earlier. It was something Garfield had started to get used to, not that it was new, Raven's powers had always done something like this before and mostly due to her short patience when dealing with him in previous years.

He looked at his wife across the room, moving silently around picking up the debris almost absentmindedly. It was as if she was lost in thought with a slight frown edged on her features. She hadn't noticed him staring and that was odd enough so, he decided to walk closer and break the silence.

"You know, you could very well use your powers to pick up the mess and save yourself the exertion"

"That would prove to be counterproductive. I try not to use my powers unnecessarily, especially now that they're out of control sometimes" Raven said after a moment but she still seemed distracted so Garfield dropped the garments on the bed and walked in front of her, grabbed her hands and led her to the edge of the bed and they both sat down.

"Babe, what's really bothering you?" he had a fairly good idea but since the day they flew in for their honeymoon, Raven had not mentioned the incident with the unknown kids at the reception but he knew it still bothered her somehow.

Raven looked at their clasped hands on her lap before meeting his eyes.

"Michael didn't tell me everything. I just don't know what exactly and it worries me"

"Maybe he didn't want to admit that he couldn't find anything and he didn't want to disappoint you"

"Or, maybe he did find something and its worse than what I imagine, just look at the tension there was between them for a moment"

"Babe, there will always be tension between Robin and Michael no matter what. Look, try to rest, forget about everything for a few days and enjoy yourself, I know I am, especially because I'm here with you" he said with a warm smile before he placed a kiss on her lips.

Raven didn't hesitate to kiss him back, it was a short but loving kiss, when they pulled apart, Raven looked into his eyes and for a moment, lost herself in the warm green depths of them before giving him a smile.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I've been distracted and is not fair to you and I'm willing to make it up to you as soon as possible" Raven said and leaned in for another kiss that soon became more passionate. He knew she was trying to distract him, it wasn't often that she changed her mind on something once her mind was made up but he wasn't about to complain, instead, he let her push him down on his back on their bed and with a flick of her hand, the lights went out and only the dancing flames of a candle illuminated their way to each other's bodies.

…

Exactly a week later , the Titans were standing on a made up podium in front of reporters, the chief of police department, representatives from the DOD and the public in general. The press conference had been announced and like in a concert of a famous band, the public had gathered in massive amounts.

The police had been able to bring the crowd under control and it was then that Robin made his way to the microphone to which, every girl present, erupted in excited screams. The rest of the team remained seated a few feet behind Robin and Michael, who was to be presented to the public as the new member of the Titans, was actually on top of the building across the street, looking down at the crowd and shaking his head.

Clad in full costume, he leaned over the edge having everyone's attention on the Boy Wonder.

"Thank you residents of Jump City for coming as there as certain news and changes with the team that we felt you had to know. First and fore most, you need to know that there is a new member to The Titans. He has proven himself to be a worthy individual, regardless of his… reproachable record." There were murmurs throughout the crowd as he said the last bit in somewhat hesitation.

"…To which…" Robin continued as the murmurs quieted down somewhat and the reporters were taking in the brink of hysteria if he didn't speak faster. "I want to clarify being part of the Titans is not a sentence, rather a chance to redeem himself. His skills and strength of character had aided the Titans in recent events and were taken in consideration in the final decision… people of Jump City, I give you… Red X"

Up on the roof Michael sighed heavily said to himself "Show time" and teleported right next to Robin.

The uproar of the crowd was intense. They were curious and rather surprised. Red X had, after all, vandalized and escape the Titans themselves in other times when his intensions had been less honest.

The reporters wasted no time in barraging the leader and the former thief with questions.

Reporter 1 "How can the Titans admit someone as dishonest as…"

Reporter 2 "How long ago was this decision taken…"

Reporter 3 " Robin, in what grounds do you base your decision to…

Reporter 4 "Robin how do expect the public to react to…"

And the questions poured, one after the other, over the other. Reporter were having a field day in assumptions and possible reasons, trying to get the Boy Wonder to admit his error. The police was already trying to keep the crowd calm. The other Titans rose to their feet and were at Robin's and Red X's side immediately for their support.

Reporter 5 "Raven, we understand you're the second in command, what prompted your decision on agreeing with this situation?"

As soon as the first question was directed at Raven, the onslaught of questions and comments, not mentioning the attention and the assault of emotions were so overwhelming to her already compromised self control that the moment she turned in the direction of the crowd, her eyes glowed white and something in the vicinity exploded, bringing the entire crowd silent in the border of tension and panic at her outburst.

Everyone knew that the sorceress possessed a short temper and no one dared to even make a sudden move until she gave sign that she was no longer ready to call their attention to in more visible ways, of course, the public didn't know of her current condition being the culprit of her outburst. The titans turned in her direction as they noticed she had closed her eyes and was silently chanting her mantra.

"Rae, are you ok?" asked Garfield in a whisper close to her ear. Her only answer was nod and when she opened her eyes, she looked at her husband then at Robin who had come closer and was now handing her the microphone. She glared at him for a moment as she had not planned on a speech of any sort and then turned to the crowd of expectant people.

"Our decision was made after careful consideration. As Robin has previously mentioned, his skills are those of a well trained fighter, useful and competent. Sending him to prison would be a waste of those skills when he has proven to be better than what he used to be as a thief"

It was to everyone's surprise that had been the most she had said in public, ever. The public respected her and feared her out of that respect and were grateful to her. Michael was quiet, watching her. Half concerned and half amused. The impact of her presence had subdued the crowds but not their attention on her as he was sure she hated the most.

Reporter 6 "Red X, if I may, what is your approach to this entire scenario? What are your intensions regarding the public service you're about to provide? Your reaction on the decision made on your behalf and exposed to the choice of changing your wicked ways?"

It was a young reporter alone. _Perhaps her first interview_ he thought for she her voice wavered a few times in her questioning. She was a beautiful petite that had approached the podium when everyone else seemed to be still paying attention to Raven or Robin.

The other reporters nearby felt silent when they heard the young woman speak. Apparently, no one had thought of asking the former thief directly.

Red X crouched at the border of the podium and addressed the girl.

"Well cutie, I'm only as wicked as you want me to be"

The girl giggled in response and blushed heavily at his answer. Satisfied with her response, he straighten up, not before taking a look at her name tag, and approached Raven who was all too ready to give away the microphone.

"Well, Miss Bancroft, for your questions I have very simple answers. My intentions are legitimate. I have very powerful reasons as to why choose the hero life and not prison. Not that those were my only options, mind you, but I decided to take the safe route."

"And what would those reasons be?" Miss Bancroft asked.

"Well…" Red X chuckled for a moment. "Besides Raven threatening me with hunting me down to the end of time if I misbehaved again" the crowd laughed at his joke, even thought it wasn't . "There is someone that means the world to me and I'm doing this for her"

"oh" was all the young reporter could say before catching herself. At seeing her obvious disappointment he added with an unseen smirk as he crouch in front of the girl "But i can always come out to have some fun during her nap time" he said away from the microphone and the girl rewarded him a bright smile.

The chief of police was close enough to hear what they spoke about and cleared his throat to get back to the important issues at hand. Red x straighten up and casually walked in front of the others ignoring the menacing glares that Robin was surely directing at him.

"I also wanted to thank our honorable chief of police, Captain Barrinton for giving me the chance to come out here and make my coming out debut as a new... hero?..." he stopped for a moment giving the chief a look but being under the attention of everyone else as expecting to contradict the masked man's statement, he waved his hand in dismissal and prompted Red X to continue.

"Thank you very much Capt'n, I know your decision wasn't easy" he said in what the chief thought it was a mocking tone, but wasn't sure due to the man's voice adapter.

Upon his last sentence, the crowd started to murmur and whisper among them all over again and above the buzz, another reported stood up and signaled his next question. A young man, perhaps in his late twenties, all too eager to address the former criminal. With a chuckle, he said "So, it is safe to say that you were intimidated into the team? Is the famously elusive ex criminal Red X actually admitting to such weakness in character?"

There was silence from the crowd and the stage as everyone turned to Red X anticipating some kind of angry reaction but Michael crossed his arms over his chest then brought a hand under his chin as if considering how to answer.

"You see, that's where the misconception starts..." he said and suddenly he disappeared from the stage. As everyone looked around, including the offending reporter, no one noticed that Red x had reappeared behind the man and simply grabbed the man by the shoulder, startling him into a very high pitch squeak. Red x chuckled while the other Titans looked at each other with somewhat amusement. They knew he wouldn't hurt the reporter, they had warned him about such possible scenarios, but they couldn't help the uneasiness that came with the unpredictability of his character.

"... Tell me something my man, what do you see up there?" he said to the pale reporter who was slightly shivering at the contact. The citizens were used to the fact that their local heroes would rarely be out in public other than to fight their enemies and protect them from harm, but this new member, not only was he daring and outspoken, he was also , up until very, very recently, a criminal.

With some hesitation, the man looked in the direction he was being pointed at and settled his sight on the group of people. "Superheroes?"

"But be specific..." he leaned a bit in front of the reporter in order to read his name tag "...Doug. What can be the most... interesting fact that catches your attention. Aside from their powers, of course"

"Um... two attractive females?" Doug said almost in a whisper.

"C'mon man, don't be ashamed because any red blood male in the vicinity will agree with you, two very hot chicks that happen to be the highlight of that team so, no, to answer your question, i was not intimidated... at east not in a forceful way , to agree to be part of the Titans, i was rather... allured." he let go of Doug for a moment then clasp his hand on Doug's shoulder and disappeared once more only to reappear on the stage alongside a his confused interrogator.

"And as i'm sure you have met them before, here you have them in the flesh" Red x said and pushed him a little closer to the heroes. Doug was so overwhelmed he stuttered most of his greeting. "Ladies, meet my friend Doug. Don't let the stuttering fool you, i'm sure on a normal day, he's an excellent reporter, c'mon over a show him some love"

Starfire as the first one to make a move and rather she levitated herself in front of the quivering man in front of her. She offered him a sweet smile and took his hand a shook it as gently as she could. "It is very nice to meet you Doug" Doug had simply lost in her beauty, ignoring the chuckles and other noises the crowd was making in the background.

Raven in the meantime was glaring daggers and swords at Red X who no doubt, was smirking in great pleasure.

"Ve-very n-nice to me-met you, ladies" Doug was finally able to articulate and turned towards Raven with the intention of shaking her hand as well but stopped cold mid step when she saw her eyes flash a spark of white glow right before she turned her attention to him.

"Likewise" was her dry and unemotional response and that was enough warning to everyone that the spectacle had gone long enough. Red x chuckle once more to defuse the tension and simply teleported the reporter back to his original spot in the crowd to which said crowd started to applaud and cheer. Some came to the reporter and padded his back enthusiastically and asked him nonsensical questions about his experience on the stage. Red X was back with the rest of the team, amused at the uproar of cheering people , specially girls who could not get enough him or the others for that matter.

Now, instead of angry mobs like Robin had expected at some point, he was actually surprise of how easy they accepted the former criminal.

"Its all in the charm, kid. I told you you didn't have to worry" said Red x next to him and knew that Robin almost rolled his eyes under the mask before motioning for the microphone for the last time. But yet another reported wanted to ask something else and Robin nodded him continue.

reporter 7 "Red x, I know you have made it very clear as to what was the main reason of you joining the Titans but didn't Raven and Beast Boy just got married a month ago? Would it become an awkward situation if you flirt with her having her husband so close?"

"You are right, they got married not too long ago and I'm sure you know how Raven was the most stunning bride i have ever seen but, there is another fact in the mix... just because she's married, it doesn't mean she's invisible now, does it?"

Before anyone else would rise to ask yet another question and before the mob took over the situation as they were too many excited females trying to get Red X's attention and too many males asking disrespectful questions that he was glad the overall noise muffled them enough for Raven and Starfire to pick on, he grabbed the microphone and raised his hand in order to get their attention. Finally, when the crowd had quieted down somewhat, he said.

"Citizens of Jump City, on behalf of the Titan's family, we thank you so much for your kind words and acceptance of the new member of our team. Remain safe and we'll see you around."

And with that, a giant raven like shadow rose from under Raven's cloak and swallowed the group much to the crowd's surprise. Minutes later, the engines on the T-Ship came to life from behind the building they had been standing on and they saw it fly away towards their home.

From across the street, near the building where Red X had been perched earlier, confined in the shadows, stood two figures, patiently until the ship was no longer in sight.

"Let's go child. We have much work ahead of us"

"Yes, grandfather" and both disappeared without another word.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what do you think so far?. I have the rough outline of what i want to happen in this story and even thought it might get away from what the first story was leaning on, it does look promising... at least to me. Anyway. I will be updating once a week providing the holiday schedule at work and family does not change too much and take much of my free time. Anyway. thank you for reading. <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone. i know, its been a few weeks since my last update but i made this one a bit longer... ok so a whole lot longer to make up for the time it took me to post this. Anyway, hope you guys like it. Let me know.**

* * *

><p><strong>There for you. Chapter 3.<strong>

Future, 2029

Raven walked silently along the hallways of Titans Tower a few minutes later after Vicky had left her room in a hurry. She seemed focused on the path ahead of her as if afraid to lose a non- existent trail left behind by the young shape shifter but in fact, she was trying to recollect memories from fifteen years ago. Something that Vicky had said earlier made her try to recollect any relevant event but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Raven continued walking and unconsciously ended up in front of Michael's old room. It had not been touched since he left that day, two days before his demise. Raven opened the door slowly and was met with a cold, empty darkness she tried to avoid. Even though she had always been fond of the shadows, the emptiness and sorrow was all that was left of his long gone aura.

The windows had not been opened and the curtains had never let the sunlight get pass them for as long as he had been gone. No one ever entered this room either save for Victoria and herself on rare occasions, like this one. Raven remained at the door for a moment longer, peering into the dark void in front of her, trying to see her memories of him alive. She closed her eyes for a moment and caught the faint scent of his cologne.

Vicky, no doubt, had come in the room recently. This room was like a safe haven to her. She would spray his cologne only but a couple of times in the air before laying on his bed, wrapped in one of his shirts or even his cape and cry herself to sleep.

Raven finally decided to enter the room and slowly, she walked towards the bed and stopped by the nightstand where a lamp came to life with a dim light after one touch of her finger on the base. Raven mused at that little, insignificant detail. Michael had always been practical. Never one to complicate himself with the simplest of things and this lamp was a prime example. With the first touch, a dim light shone, giving its owner time for his eyes to readjust to the sudden brightness. At the second touch, the light intensified a little more and at the third touch, it died again. No annoying clicks of buttons or switches or tiny chains to fumble for.

Raven smiled a tiny smile, more like a little twitch on the left side of her lips without any real humor before looking down at the bed. She saw the cape of the famous Red X, tattered at the ends as it was part of his signature look. She dared a light touch on the fabric and the material proved to still be soft as velvet but she dared not touch it further.

Then walked at the end of the bed and set her sight on the rocking chair for a brief moment before walking passed it to a shelf next to the curtained window. It had been a while since she had let herself walk around this room. It was more of a sanctuary for Vicky but sometimes, it was also hers. There were small framed pictures on the shelf and dresser, pictures of him and his daughter always smiling with a twinkle in his eyes.

His playful and mischievous eyes that always tried to find something in hers, something that he knew was not meant for him but another that had already claimed her hand. But even thought he knew, he never ceased to hope and that's what she always admired in him, even thought she never said it out loud.

Raven slid her fingers along the spines of the books in front of her. Some she had given to him at one point or another. Others he had acquired himself out of pure interest and curiosity and the rest were children's books that he read to Vicky every night whenever possible when he wasn't away on missions.

She came across a photo album that had seen much better days. The cover almost ripped from wear and after retrieving it with much care, she found many pictures she had no idea had been taken. They were of her along the years until there was an abrupt stop. No doubt was right before Michael left. She went back to the beginning and inspected each one with more attention. She recalled the moments but she just never noticed them being taken.

She stopped at one on the fifth page. It was of her when she was very close to give birth to her children. She was sitting on the rocking chair, holding a baby Victoria in her arms looking down at her with abandon. The same rocking chair that now sat motionless in the room she was invading, in the picture, it was in the medical bay and Raven recalled that day as if it had been yesterday.

_Cyborg sat quietly in front of the monitors. The baby was calm, too calm if he was being honest. She slept most of the time as babies her age tend to do but for some reason, she had lost her appetite and it worried everyone, especially the father who had started to blame himself for his lack of instincts. And the only thing he managed to do was pace non-stop in the room._

"_Michael, you're doing fine. You have taken great care of her since she was born" said Raven as she walked in the room and heard him mumble to himself. she had come to visit the infant as she did every day since she took her maternity leave, or rather was made to take the time off early by the rest of the team. It was only herself, Michael and Cyborg at the moment as the rest of the team was out on a mission._

"_I appreciate your confidence in me, beautiful, but right now words can't help. My baby girl is sick and Cyborg doesn't seem to be able to figure out what's wrong and if he doesn't know, then I'm lost" Michael said after he stopped for a moment. He was in the brink of desperation, exhaustion and almost tears._

_Here he was, the famous thief turned hero, clad in his Red X suit minus the mask, pacing like a madman and all because a tiny female._

'_The irony' Raven thought but reconsidered because even though in other times she would have concluded that pacing back and forth in the same spot was pointless and useless at the current situation, there was also a hint of worry that shadowed her musings as she realized that that could be her and Garfield in a few months when their own children were born._

_Raven watched him return to his pacing with a deep frown sculpted on his otherwise smiling face. _

_And he paced, wrecking his head in what little he knew about taking care of his baby. Even coming to the conclusion that letting Slade take her blood a few months ago had been the worse decision and probably that was where the problem was coming from._

_But a series of beeps broke the silence that had stretched too long. It was Leo, the first time they heard of her in months since she left the tower. A certain sense of relief invaded Raven then, Garfield had been worried that Leo might had gone looking for Slade after all but by the looks of it, Leo had not._

"_Hello Raven. Michael, I have good news and bad news regarding Vicky's condition" she said in her cheerful manner._

_There was an obvious relief on Michael as soon as he heard the words but, with a slight tilt of his head, he regarded the young woman in the screen "Not that I'm not grateful that you know what's going on but, how did you know about her condition?" _

"_Cyborg told me. I called to check up on everyone and I found out about the results of the tests. What I see is that she's weak, her antibodies are not strong enough on their own and are in dire need of supplement" _

"_Red Boy here thinks that maybe when Slade took her blood he might have altered her somehow" said Cyborg in order to explain other of the theories they had come up with since he last spoke to her but didn't miss the slight, almost non-existent twitch of Leo's eyebrow at the mention of the criminal, but it was gone before he even consider it real. And hesitantly, she answered._

"_There could be a connection. After all she was too little and already weak when he… when he did that, she was with the medical support at that time and maybe that's why she improved but ever since she was taken out of the supplements she had been connected to, her health started to decline again. Still not strong enough to heal on her own"_

"_Supplement. What kind of supplement do you have in mind?" asked Raven this time._

"_As in breast milk supplement" said Leo as-a-matter-of-factly._

_Michael's brows shot up before the frown settled on his features again and asked defensively and full of skepticism "And where exactly am I supposed to get breast milk when her own mother happens to be a baby herself?" _

_Leo gave him a smile, never affected by his rude retort before answering "Although ideal, in most cases is not completely necessary. Breast milk is breast milk, no matter who it comes from"_

"_But that still doesn't answer my question, who am I going to get it from" Michael asked with a bit more annoyance in his tone but Leo's answer was a subtle nod. When he followed her gaze, he was met by an equally surprised sorceress who quickly composed herself._

"_I don't think that's a good idea" she said. "I'm not entirely human, remember?"_

"_Raven, you are the only logical choice, after all, her mother wasn't entirely human either. For all we know, Vicky is also a shape shifter" said Leo with all the confidence of having come up with that scenario herself before voicing her suggestion. _

"_Yes, but not half demon" Raven said stubbornly and crossed her arms over her belly._

"_True, but for practical purposes, your physiology is closer to a human's than otherwise"_

"_May I remind you that after failed attempts at artificial insemination you concluded that…" _

"_That your physiology didn't respond to human procedures but otherwise it works the same way and your swollen belly is proof of that. Look, if it makes you feel any better, we can run some test on a sample of your breast milk to put your and Michael's mind at ease. A few drops will suffice" _

_An uneasy look crossed Raven's features "I don't know Leo, its risky…"_

"_Please Raven, if not for me, do it for Vicky. I don't think I can go much longer watching my daughter grow weaker. I'm begging you…" Michael said and in his pleas, he had cut the short distance between them and had grabbed her by the shoulders and Raven wasn't sure he even noticed. There was no malice, no teasing, no faking, just real concern in his eyes and almost desperation in his tone. _

_Raven let out a tiny sigh before giving him her answer in the form of a gentle nod. Michael smiled widely before kissing her forehead, thanked her and turned to the young doctor awaiting patiently on the screen._

"_Excellent. Cyborg, this is what I need you to do" Leo instructed Cyborg on how to analyze the breast milk once Raven followed her instructions on how to get the sample although for that, Leo had to get Dr Thorns to help her with in a joint video call and reluctantly, Raven did as she was told._

_It was only a few minutes later that Leo called back to analyze the results along with Cyborg and thankfully the results were favorable to their situation._

_A few hours later the rest of the team came back and Garfield found his wife sitting on the rocking chair with Vicky happily attached to one of her breasts. Garfield gave her a puzzled look for a brief moment as he made his way to her but soon, his expression was replaced by a smile. It occurred to him that the baby's declining health had had a simple remedy that didn't cross anyone's mind until now._

"_I didn't think you could do that yet" Garfield said playfully after kissing his wife tenderly on the lips which she responded to happily._

"_Apparently I've been able to for a while" Raven said with a smile._

_They fell into a comfortable silence and all the while, Garfield's heart melted a little more at the sight, no doubt his wife had the biggest heart. But suddenly, a few questions popped in his head but before he had a chance to voice any of his worries, Starfire flew in and landed next to the couple, smiling tenderly at the sight. _

"_Friend Raven, how wonderful of you to nurture little Victoria but, will you have enough milk of the breast for your little ones when they arrive?"_

"_Yes Star, according to Dr Thorns, I have at least a two year supply or for as long as any of them need it, there will be plenty for all of them"_

"_That wont be necessary Rae" came the happy voice of Cyborg and when they turned in his direction at the control panels of the medical bay, they could see his satisfied smile. "I've been monitoring Vicky's progress since you started feeding her and there has been an incredibly significant improvement" _

"_Already?!" Michael and Raven asked at the same time._

"_Yes, already and the only thing I can attribute it to is your healing powers. If you can continue feeding her on a set schedule for the next twenty four hours, I'll get definite results but, all in all, at this rate, she should be able to go back to regular formula in about two days or less" he said with a smile._

_Everyone's excitement at the good news was clear. Michael's most of all and showed it by giving Raven a kiss on the top of her head and then bent down to kiss his daughter's cheek. Even Robin, who had silently entered the medical bay the moment he heard the news from outside, seemed to relax and sighed in relief and even exchanged a smile with Michael because they knew with certainty now that their baby would be alright._

/

Garfield peered into the dimly lit room and found Raven, sitting on the rocking chair, distractedly rocking herself as she went from page to page of the book on her lap. He approached her silently but knew she was aware of his presence. He stopped next to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder which she covered with one of her own without looking up from the album.

Garfield now had an idea of what kept her so distracted. The candid pictures, the images of his wife through the eyes of another that had also felt for her. He felt jealousy creep up and tug at his heart even though the events were long gone. He had been long gone and yet there was no mistaking her reaction still after all these years. She mourned him, she missed him and he even dared say she had loved him to a certain extent.

Oh but Garfield was very familiar with the claws of jealousy that had ravaged his heart over the years Michael had been with them, and sadly realized that he kept fighting them off even with Michael gone because now the fight was with the memory of him. But long ago he learnt that he could only protect Raven so far without hinting at the misconception that he didn't trust her, because he did trust her. It was the others he didn't trust.

Robin and Michael were to her the heroes of her life and heart and many times Garfield spent sleepless nights dwelling on the fact that he simply came up short compared to either one of them or any of them for in essence, they were one and the same and often wondered if she would mourn him the same if he was the one gone instead.

A soft squeeze to his hand still resting on her shoulder` brought him out of his reverie and he looked down and was met with her soft gaze. He could tell she had been fighting back tears.

"All this time and you still get upset as if he were still here" she stated non-accusingly.

Garfield locked eyes with his wife for a moment before relaxing the frown he didn't realize he had until his expression softened to an almost apologetic one.

"I'm sorry babe, sometimes I can't help it"

For a moment Raven looked down at the images on the photo album before closing it but he noticed she pulled out one of the pictures enough so as to not lose the page she was on. Raven got up from the rocking chair, placed the book down on it and turn around to give her husband a hug that he happily returned and then, with her arms still around his neck, she pulled him to her and kissed him passionately.

After a few minutes they pulled apart just enough to catch their breath but they remained close enough to rest their foreheads on one another.

"I'm sorry Gar, I didn't mean to come here before seeing you but I just…"

"shhh, it doesn't matter. Did you talk to Vicky?" he asked as they pulled apart. Raven knew he was deliberately changing the subject but decided not to press the matter further.

"Yes and I'm afraid I encouraged her even more without knowing it. That's why I came here, to see if maybe I could find a clue as to what she's planning and how" Raven had walked around the chair towards the bed and used her dark energy to lift the cape that was left on it but there was nothing underneath, so with a sigh, she let the garment back down. "But so far I've come up empty" she said as she walked back to the rocking chair but Garfield picked up the album before she reached it.

"Is that what you were doing with these? Looking for clues?" he said calmly as he looked thru the pages. As he expected, most of the pictures were of Vicky and Michael, he was surprised that his image was among them more than a few times but most of all Raven's image greeted him and a familiar yet strange feeling of déjà vu invaded his mind.

"I'm not exactly sure Gar but somewhere among those images is a sign, something that let us know where all started."

"You mean you're actually ok with them going back in time and change the past?" he asked with great surprise and something else Raven could quite tell what it was.

"No, not exactly. The fact is if they change something, anything no matter how small before they were born then they could very well erase their own existence but, there is the possibility of finding out what exactly happened and maybe…"

"Maybe nothing, Rae. You said so yourself, its too risky. I will not let my kids and niece to put themselves in danger that way or any other way. The past is in the past and there is nothing we can do about it" Garfield interrupted, his eyes sparkled with anger and the seriousness of his tone was in a way, disconcerting. Raven watched without flinching, how he tossed the photo album unceremoniously on the bed and unavoidably, spilling the pictures across the cape and sheets.

However, Raven took a calming, deep breath before speaking, his attitude and angry antics were unsettling and in a way, disappointing.

"Gar, I'm not saying I condone their actions and decisions but I would think that you, of all people, would understand Vicky's reasons for what she's trying to do"

"What do you mean I would understand, as if going back in time has ever been a possibility to change anything and you of all people should know that I would never put my family at risk"

"So you're telling me that the idea of going back and prevent your parents from dying and protect Meliah from her fate, has never cross your mind before? Or have you forgotten that Starfire was able to go to the future thanks to Warp and thanks to what she saw there, she was able to change it. Cyborg is not alone, destined to rust away, I'm not isolated in a mental ward and you are not hiding behind the bars of a cage as a one man freak show at a carnival. And Nightwing is not alone, he's with us, with his family." She watched him frown and even glare. She had never seen him so mad at her like that.

Raven walked slowly to her husband and gently grabbed his hands in comfort, hoping to calm him down. "Gar, I'm aware of the possible consequences but I also understand why Vicky would go to those lengths. She misses her father, our friend. Don't tell me you don't understand that" she said softly.

Garfield looked at their joint hands more out of embarrassment than anything else and Raven watched how his frown melted away as he formed invisible circles with his thumbs on the top of her hands and without looking up, he answered "I do understand Rae, I really do and trust me when I tell you that the thought of being able to go back in time and change the many things that have gone wrong in my life, has crossed my mind the moment after things happened but…" he took a deep, cleansing breath before bringing his eyes from their entwined fingers to her own. "… I also realize that every event, every mistake, every tragedy has also led to happier times, far better that I would have ever dreamt of. It led me to the Titans and it led me to you and now… I'm the proud father of two amazing kids that take after their beautiful mother whom I'm honored to call my wife" he said and lifted one of her hands to his lips and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on it. Raven couldn't suppress the small sigh that escaped her lips, musing on the fact that even after all these years he was still able to make her heart skip a beat.

He continued "I do understand Rae, but what if… him dying… was meant to be? What if… no matter how many times she's able to go back and change things in order to save him… she still loses him, over and over again... what then?... you're right, I did think about what if I could go back and change things the moment I turned around and watched how that last lightning stroke the boat right before it fell down the waterfall and even though I knew I couldn't, I obsessed about it for years even after Mento and Rita adopted me. After a while, I was able to forget about my obsession and was able to move on but, when Warp appeared from the possible future, all those thoughts came back because I realized Warp had figured out a way to guarantee his success, by going back in time and change things to his benefit. Rae, there was no way I could let that opportunity go by and I even thought about stealing the time machine device from the evidence room… but…" he sighed " somehow, Rita knew something was up. Back then I couldnt understand it and I couldn't explain it how she knew but, she did and the night I had planned to steal the device, she called me and convinced me to go have dinner with her…"

_The restaurant was a small establishment in a hidden corner of the world. Simple yet tasteful and elegant and the food was of extraordinary quality and yet, the smells and the friendly smiles of the ones catering their meal did nothing to bring the young changeling out of his depression. He silently played with the vegetables on his plate while fighting the stinging in the back of his eyes until the soft hand of his adoptive mother closed over his and gave him a gentle squeeze and Garfield had to close his eyes shot, etching a deep frown on his green features._

_She had caught him by surprise by calling him a few hours earlier inviting him for dinner, begged him even when the strained tone of his refusal gave away the seriousness of his predicament and he knew it and eventually gave in and met her on the roof of the tower where she was waiting in a small jet._

_The jet was the latest contraption in technology. Smooth and fast. So fast that in less than thirty minutes, they were halfway across the country to a rustic little town. Rita had let him be during the ride and it was when they landed that she had turned to him and asked in that sweet, soothing tone of her voice, what was wrong._

_Garfield didn't have the strength to answer her right away but finally, after a couple of steadying breaths, he whispered "I found a way to go back and save them" _

_Rita didn't need to ask whom he was referring to and she simply asked "How?" in a whisper of her own._

_Garfield was still looking away, blinking away the tears when he answered "We came across a guy from the future last week. He came back to steal a piece of the museum downtown and make sure we were stopped before he was caught. Star… she travelled to a possible future with the guy when she was fighting him and saw things… anyway. Of course she succeeded and came back and the guy was caught into his own invention and now he's a baby all over again…" Garfield chuckle without humor or was rather, a scoff. _

_Rita watched him with serene eyes until a spark of understanding run through her and she fought back a shiver but he seemed not to noticed and continued "… but, if he was able to come back, maybe… maybe I can…" but Rita stopped him by embracing him in her arms as tight as she could without hurting him stopping him from speaking._

"_Gar, my love, please… don't go down that path. I understand why you're trying to do it, I really do but… think of the consequences" but he squirmed in her hold and pushed her away. Rita didn't fight._

"_What consequences can there be other than them being alive now, today. You don't know what its like to watch your parents die right in front of your eyes and not being able to do squat because of fear" he was angry but in his anger, that flicker of hurt he saw in her eyes, touched him deep. _

"_You're right when you say I haven't experienced something so tragic but I can tell you this, I'm starting to know what it feels like right now with the possibility of losing you. The possible consequences are endless. What if you save them today but… fate has its own plans and you still lose them tomorrow? Tell me, would you be able to go through that all over again?" _

_There was anger in his eyes and he was shaking from holding back his rage but there was also a flicker of understanding, something he had not thought of before. _

"_Gar, believe me when I tell you if I could go back and save them myself I would, for you, because you deserve so much better than the suffering you've had to endure." She watched him turn away from her and she felt like somehow, she was losing the battle._

"_Gar, even if you succeed, there is no return from the path that you're choosing to accomplish that success, no matter how many times you try to change it because in the end, even if no one else finds out, you will know, so tell me, will you be any different from the ones you fight against?" _

_There was silence and for a moment, Rita thought he would just get up and leave and still carry on his plan but then, she noticed his shoulders shaking and a sniff and a muffled sob escaped him and Rita cut the distance between them and turned him around and pressed his head on her chest while she wrapped her arms around him and she let him cry then, smoothing the hair on the back of his head, murmuring little nothings in his ear, just how she used to do when he was much younger after waking up from his nightmares. _

_After a while, he had calmed down and was able to breathe at the soothing beating of her heart and he was able to lift his eyes, red from crying only but a second. He was feeling guilty and ashamed. _

"_I'm sor…" he tried to say but Rita interrupted him._

"_Shhh, don't worry about it love. Just tell me, where is the device now?" _

_Garfield sighed before answering "Still in the Tower, inside the safe of the evidence room. Cyborg is going to dismantle it tomorrow" he said resigned. _

_Rita smiled and was visibly relieved "I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart" she said as she wiped the remaining tears running down one of his cheeks and gave him one of her sweet smiles he loved so much. _

_In the restaurant, when he had been quiet for probably too long and his adoptive mother placed her hand over his and leaned in over the table "What's bothering you now sweetheart?" _

_He stopped playing with his food and lifted her eyes at her and asked "How did you know?"_

_She smiled a small, loving smile like mothers do when they see their babies for the first time. "Mother instincts I guess" she said and for a moment her smile faded "I know I'm not your real mother, I never carried you for nine months in my womb, I know that, my mind knows that but… my heart doesn't know the difference. I can't help it if I'm as selfish and jealous and protective as any real mother would be and somehow I know when you're troubled, especially when we're so far apart" _

_And for the first time since defeating Warp that week, he smiled and tightened his hold on her hand and said "Thanks mom, I love you"_

_Rita smiled and this time, it was her turn to fight back tears before saying "I love you too sweetheart"_

_/_

Raven watched him and she couldn't hide the surprise from her features. " Gar, I didn't know any of that. How come this is the first time I hear of this?" she wasn't mad simply, caught by surprise.

Garfield shrugged but somehow was still uncomfortable by the subject. "Too ashamed I guess. It was bad enough Rita knew what I was planning to do" he squeeze her hands gently and continued "The point is, I don't want Vicky to suffer any more. To go thru such pain all over again. We lost her for four years Rae, she left to who knows where, met who knows who and now she's like a total stranger. Don't get me wrong, I still love her as I know you do too but… I'm afraid if her plan fails… we would lose her permanently and I would never forgive myself for that… what would I tell Meliah…"

"Shhh, Gar, please. Don't get ahead of yourself. Meliah is only eighteen now, she's safe. Lets keep it that way" Raven said as she grabbed a hold of his face with both her hands and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "We'll keep them both safe, I promise"

And with that, she led her husband out of the room, turning off the light and closing the door on the way out. When their steps faded down the hallway, the light in the room came back to life. Vicky was now sitting in the at the edge of the bed and noticed that the cape still on the bed was wrapped on someone furiously trying to disentangle from the garment.

Vicky quickly removed the garment and two humanoid spiders fell on the bed as they recovered their original size.

"Mariella move your legs from my head" came the angry whisper of Mark trying to get up from under his sister's weight. Mariella on the other hand was still trying to return to her human form, having still a few extra extremities slowly returning back to her body.

"Shut up Mark, I'm still trying to figure out how to make them disappear" Mariella whisper back. Finally, after a few deep breaths, Mariella was back to her human form while her brother got off the bed and tried to rearrange his already tangled hair.

"This wouldn't happen if you practiced your shifting more often" he chided.

"And this wouldn't have happened if you would have let me transport us back to our room instead of hiding under the cape"

"And risk mom sensing you using your powers? Forget it. At least the cape can protect us from her sensing our presence"

"Guys" whispered Vicky but the twins were too distracted with their little argument to pay attention.

"And what do you think she's going to do when they found out we were eavesdropping on them?" Mariella continued.

"Guys!" Vicky said a little louder this time, finally getting the attention of her friends who seemed to have forgotten for a moment where they were.

"Guys, forget about that, we don't have time for this" Vicky said as she got off the bed walked towards the rocking chair. She didn't sit but run a gentle hand on one of the arms. "We have to find out who this… Meliah is"

Mariella thought for a moment and was ready to answer when Mark spoke for her "I wonder if its that little girl from the picture"

"Do you think she might be a long lost sibling?" Asked Mariella to no one in particular.

"I don't think so Mar, even if she happened to be a long lost sister of mine, I don't think dad would have kept us apart. Even if that wasn't the case, I don't think he had any more kids before me, I mean, c'mon, he was barely nineteen when I was born and if your calculations are right and the girl in the picture was at least two years old, I don't think my dad would have been… sleeping around at only seventeen and leaving kids behind" said Vicky, pensive never the less on the possibility.

"I don't know Vik, I mean, he was a big flirt and who knows if…" Mark started but stopped mid sentence at the sight of the glare Vicky was throwing his way.

"Watch it Mark Logan. Think very carefully before say out loud anything else about my father" Vicky said low and menacing as her eyes seemed to spark a certain shift in their coloration, just like it did every time she was in the middle of battle.

"He means no offense Vicky but the facts speak for themselves, Red X was a carrier flirt. Tell me, have you considered how to confront him without telling him who you really are? You know he's bound to flirt with you no matter what, how will you avoid that?"

Vicky made a face at the blunt comments and questions as she had not considered that detail of her father but, a little memory invaded her mind and the idea that came after was visible relief as she smiled knowingly.

"Simple, I'll tell him my name"

The twins raised their left eyebrow at the same time in question before Mark cleared his throat. "And since when the part of you-know-you're-not-supposed-to-tell-him-who-you-are bit got lost in translation?"

That elicited a chuckle from the young changeling "I understand perfectly Mark, not telling him who I am , as in not telling him I'm his daughter, but names, although they could be irrelevant, in this case are key to my success"

"How so?" asked Mariella, narrowing her eyes while she tried to decipher her friend's words which, in a more somber tone, Vicky answered.

"He once told me that he would never flirt with any girl that had my name because it would reminded him too much of me. Not that he didn't like my name but simply because it would be weird"

"And when did he tell you this?

"A few months before he…" she almost choked on her words as a sudden knot formed on her throat at the memory. "… he told me about a girl he had met before, apparently very pretty but he was just not attracted to her that way" Vicky said with a shrug, not really giving too much importance to her own comment.

"Did you ever meet this girl?" Mariella asked after a moment, still frowning.

"No, apparently I was still a baby"

Mariella let out a gasp that startled her companions as she hardly ever showed emotion, just like her mother.

"Vicky, do you realize what you just said?" when the other girl only shook her head in confusion, Mark interrupted and said "I think you just spoke about yourself Vik. You just spoke of a future that has already come to pass. I think uncle Michael was referring to you without even knowing it"

"So… I've already done this?... how come I don't remember?"

"You haven't done it yet but if its already a part of your past, that means it is a definite future" said Mark enthusiastically while his sister nodded her agreement.

Vicky watched in astonished silence from one sibling to the other and a sudden idea occurred to her and soon her expression saddened tremendously.

"Vicky, what's wrong?" Mark asked as the girl and was quick to grab onto her shoulders as she suddenly lost her balance and he had to catch her before she hit the ground. He led her to the rocking chair but Vicky seemed to not being able to breath and deep, dry sobs choked her words out for a moment.

"Vicky, talk to me" Mark said a little more desperate.

"If… if I have already been there… if I had already tried then… how come he isn't here now? Does that mean I failed? …. It's this what uncle Gar was talking about?... that my dad was destined to die anyway no matter what I do?" for a moment, Vicky felt her world and illusions and dreams come crashing down hard but Mariella was quick at her side and grabbed her hands.

"Vicky, look at me. We don't know if that's what happened or not, it was only a possible idea. There is no way for us to tell now what happened back then or who he was referring to, not until you go back and find out what happened. You still have a chance to change all that so please, do not despair"

Vicky looked at her friend thru wet lashes and sniffed and wiped away the tears that had been angrily escaping her and nodded while mark pulled her into a hug and placed a kiss on her temple.

"Don't worry Vik, we will be with you every step of the way, I promise"

After a moment of silence, Vicky let go of them and stood up and run to the closet where her dad's old communicator still laid and dialed a private number and before the second ring she heard the unmistakable sound of someone about to about to speak but she spoke first.

"Grandpa? Its me." There was a still trembling tone in her voice.

"Child, what has happened? Why are you so upset?" a concerned, deep voice spoke.

"Grandpa please, tell me you have everything ready? Tell me you can send me back now? I don't want to waste any more time. Please, I need to see him" she pleaded and another sob escaped her.

"Calm down child, I am almost done. You know I need exact coordinates and dates in order to send you to the right time I will not put you in danger if I can help it. Come now if you like and we'll wait together." When Vicky nodded, he continued. "Very well, now, let me speak with the twins for a moment" when Vicky handled the communicator to Mariella, she exchanged a look with her brother but he simply shrugged and nodded towards the small device.

"Hello Sir" Mariella said composed and restrained.

"Hello child. I have told you before you can call me grandfather as well. You know I consider you and your brother part of the family"

"Thank you sir but I would much rather not upset our parents anymore than necessary when they find out about you" she said politely.

"Very well, I understand but the sentiment still remains. Now please you and your brother must come with Victoria, I'm afraid she's rather upset to keep a leveled head at the moment and we must go over the plan details"

"Very well sir. We'll be there soon. Mariella out"

"He does mean what he said you know. Regardless of what the others say about him, he likes everybody. He's fond of aunt Raven and Uncle Richard especially. You should know he means you no harm" said Vicky in a softer, more composed tone.

"We know Vicky but, our parents and the others don't know that and the mere fact that we know him personally will not set right with any of them, not mentioning what we're about to do" said Mark quietly.

"Well, regardless of any of that I can say one thing and that is that I know your grandfather good enough to know that he does not like to be kept waiting so lets go, are you guys ready?" when the other two nodded their agreement, Mariella opened a portal and the three of them disappeared.


End file.
